The Catalan authorities have made a decision that directly affects the future of education in the region. More than a thousand schools built or extensively renovated before 2007 will have access to a new fund totaling 100 million euros. These resources are aimed at addressing decades-old infrastructure issues that have long concerned parents and educators. According to El Pais, a quarter of the region’s school buildings were constructed before 1960, and many have not seen major investment for decades.
The Fons Actualitza Escoles fund is set to run until 2028. Its purpose is to finance the replacement of outdated components, improve thermal insulation, remove hazardous materials like asbestos, and carry out other works to enhance comfort and safety for students. Subsidies will range from 10,000 to 2.2 million euros per site depending on the scale of required work. Priority assistance will go to schools in cities with the largest number of old buildings—such as Terrassa, L’Hospitalet, and Sabadell. Barcelona is not included in the program, as its schools are managed by a separate consortium.
Delegation of authority
Previously, the responsibility for major repairs and modernization of schools lay with regional authorities. However, due to prolonged project approval procedures, the decision was made to transfer the right to initiate and carry out this work to municipalities. Now, it is city administrations that will be able to announce tenders and oversee the progress of the work, while funding will come from the regional budget. This approach should speed up the renovation process and allow a quicker response to the actual needs of educational institutions.
The program was launched after the Catalonian government failed to secure support for a new budget but included school renovation expenses in an additional credit package. President Salvador Illa personally announced the launch of the fund, emphasizing that this is an important step toward creating more modern and safer learning environments. As noted by El Pais, the decision to launch the fund coincided with the start of the new academic and political trimester.
The return of Esther Niubó
On the same day the fund was announced, Esther Niubó, head of the Catalonia Department of Education, returned to work. She had been absent for two months due to health reasons and resumed her duties at a time of ongoing tension in the education sector. During her absence, there were mass teacher strikes demanding higher salaries, increased staffing, and reduced workload. Despite authorities’ attempts to reach an agreement with unions, most organizations rejected the proposed terms as insufficient.
The situation is further complicated by recent personnel changes within the department. Xavier Güell, head of the division for private schools, resigned and was replaced by Toni Aguilar, who is associated with the Escola Pia Catalunya network. Esther Niubó now faces the challenge of stabilizing the sector and preventing new waves of protests, which have already been announced for the coming months.
Context and consequences
The issue of upgrading school infrastructure in Spain is relevant not only in Catalonia. Other regions are also running modernization programs for educational institutions, but the scale and pace of these efforts often spark debate. For instance, in the Basque Country and Navarre, focus on educational projects goes hand in hand with preserving cultural traditions—a topic recently discussed in a report on the influence of Mexican music on local festivities— more details on cultural changes in the region.
As El Pais notes, the launch of the fund in Catalonia may serve as an example for other autonomous regions facing similar issues with aging schools. In recent years, Spain has repeatedly raised the need for a systemic approach to repairing and modernizing educational institutions. In 2024, similar initiatives were discussed in Valencia and Andalusia, where cases of buildings in critical condition were also identified. In Madrid in 2025, a project was implemented to replace windows and insulate facades in several schools, which helped reduce heating costs and improve comfort levels for students. Overall, the trend toward upgrading educational infrastructure is becoming increasingly evident across the country.
